Bookings Terms and Conditions

Please take the time to read and understand the conditions of booking set out below prior to booking a tour or day trip with Kurdistan Adventures.

1. The contract

All bookings are made with Reliable Iraq Co Ltd trading as Kurdistan Adventures (us/we). By booking a tour or day trip with us you are deemed to have agreed to these Booking Conditions (which constitutes the entire agreement between you and us) and your booking will be accepted by us on this basis. The services to be provided are those referred to in your booking confirmation invoice.

2. Validity

Dates, itineraries and prices are valid from 01 January 2011 until 31 December 2012. Beyond 31 December 2012, dates, itineraries and prices are indicative only.

3. Requirement of a deposit

You are required to pay a non-refundable deposit for your booking to be confirmed. The deposit amount is 25% for the escorted tour. If your booking is made within 30 days of the departure date then a deposit of 50% is payable at the time of booking. For day trips, the full amount is payable in person on the day. Due to banking sanctions and the state of the banking system in Iraq, we kindly request that this deposit be made via an intermediary bank - details of which will be provided via email. These deposits will be held subject to clauses 7, 8, 9 and 27. Please ensure payments are made within 7 days of the invoice date or we may not be able to confirm your booking.

4. Our acceptance of booking and final payments

Acceptance of your booking will be confirmed by us via email. Please refer to your booking confirmation invoice for details regarding final payments. Payment of the balance of the tour price is due on arrival (in USD cash) in Kurdistan. If this balance is not paid on or before arrival we reserve the right to treat your booking as cancelled.

5. Submission of your details

In order for us to confirm your booking you must provide all requested details with the deposit of the tour or day trip price. Necessary details include full name as per passport, date of birth, nationality, passport number, passport issue and expiry date and any pre-existing medical conditions you have which may affect your ability to complete your booking. If you are 70 years of age or over we may also require you to complete and forward a self assessment form. Your booking cannot be confirmed without provision of these details.

6. Acceptance of late bookings

For any bookings of escorted tours that are accepted within 15 days of departure we reserve the right to charge a USD$50 late fee to cover our additional administration costs. For hotel bookings that are confirmed per the clients request and are unpaid for a period of 7 days (from the time of invoice), we reserve the right to charge a USD$50 late fee in addition to the hotel booking fee.

7. Cancellation by you (the traveller)

If you cancel a tour or day trip after making a booking you will lose some or all of the money you have paid for the tour or day trip. A cancellation will only be effective when we receive email confirmation of the cancellation.

If you cancel a tour or day trip:

30 days or more prior to departure, we will refund the deposit;

between 15 and 29 days prior to departure, we will retain the deposit or 50% of the total booking cost; whichever is less, and

less than 15 days prior to departure, we will retain 100% paid by you in connection with the booking.

You are strongly advised to take out cancellation insurance at the time of booking which will cover cancellation penalties in certain circumstances. If you leave a tour or day trip for any reason after it has commenced we are not obliged to make any refunds for unused services.

8. Cancellation by us (Kurdistan Adventures)

We may cancel a tour or day trip at any time up to 30 days before departure, subject to clause 13. We may cancel a tour or day trip at any time prior to departure if, due to terrorism, natural disasters, political instability, change in the security situation or other external events it is not viable for us to operate the planned itinerary. If we cancel a tour or day trip you may choose between us applying the amounts paid toward an alternative tour or day trip or receiving a full refund. We are not responsible for any incidental expenses that you may have incurred as a result of your booking such as visas, vaccinations or non-refundable flights.

9. Amendments to your booking

If you wish to transfer from one tour or day trip to another or transfer your booking to a third party you must notify us at least 30 days prior to the proposed departure date. A fee of USD$125 per person per change will apply (in addition to any charges levied by hotels, ground operators or airlines outside of our control). If you notify us less than 30 days prior to the proposed departure date the refund policy applicable to cancellations will apply. Transfers to a third party are only permitted where the transferee meets all the requirements in relation to the tour or day trip, and transfers to another departure can only be made to a departure within the current validity period. Amendments to any other arrangements made in conjunction with your tour or day trip will incur an USD$50 administration fee per booking per change. This fee is in addition to any charges levied by hotels, ground operators or airlines outside of our control. No amendments are permitted to your booking within 10 days of departure.

10. The tour inclusions

The price of your tour includes:

all accommodation as listed in the full itinerary
all transport as listed in the full itinerary
sightseeing and meals as listed in the full itinerary
the services of a tour group leader as described in the full itinerary

11. The tour exclusions

The price of your tour does not include:

international or internal flights unless specified
airport transfers unless specified
meals other than those specified in the full itinerary
visa and passport fees
travel insurance (highly recommended and available through Kurdistan Adventures)
optional activities, sightseeing and all personal expenses

12. Age of our travellers

Minimum: General Policy: For our tours and day trips, the minimum age for travellers is 18.

Maximum: General Policy: For our tours and day trips, we have no upper age limit though we remind you that our tours and day trips can be physically demanding and a self assessment form may be required for all passengers 70 years and over.

13. The size of our tour groups

Our escorted tours are guaranteed to depart once they have at least four travellers; this means at times we can have very small groups. In the event that we have less then four travellers, we reserve the right to operate with less - however - a small surcharge (per traveller) may be payable. If you would like to know how many people are booked on your trip, please ask prior to making your booking.

14. Passport and visa requirements

You must carry a valid passport and have obtained all of the appropriate visas, permits and certificates for the countries in which you will visit during your tour or day trip. Your passport must be valid for 6 months beyond the duration of the tour or day trip. It is your responsibility to ensure that you are in possession of the correct visas, permits and certificates for your tour or day trip; please refer to our web site for details. We are not responsible if you are refused entry to a country because you lack the correct passport, visa or other travel documentation.

15. Travel insurance

Travel insurance is compulsory for all Kurdistan Adventures travellers and should be taken out at the time of booking. At a minimum your travel insurance must provide cover against personal accident, death, medical expenses, emergency repatriation and personal liability, with a minimum coverage of US$250,000. We also strongly recommend it covers cancellation, curtailment and loss of luggage and personal effects. You must provide proof of your travel insurance on the first day of your tour or day trip; you will not be able to join the tour or day trip without it.

If you obtain travel insurance through us you acknowledge that you are satisfied with the level of insurance we have arranged.

16. Flexibility

You appreciate and acknowledge that the nature of travel in Iraqi Kurdistan requires considerable flexibility and you should allow for alternatives. The itinerary provided for our tour or day trip is representative of the types of activities contemplated, but it is understood that the route, schedules, itineraries, amenities and mode of transport may be subject to alteration without prior notice due to local circumstances or events, beyond or out of our control.

17. Changes to the itinerary

While we endeavour to operate all tours and trips as described we reserve the right to change the tour or day trip itinerary. Please refer to our website before departure for the most recent updates to your itinerary.

Before departure: If we make a major change we will inform you as soon as reasonably possible if there is time before departure. The definition of a major change is deemed to be a change affecting at least one day in five of the itinerary. When a major change is made you may choose between accepting the change, obtaining a refund of money paid on the changed portion of the tour or day trip only or accepting an alternative tour offered.

After departure: We reserve the right to change an itinerary after departure due to local circumstances or events outside of our control. Please note we are not responsible for any incidental expenses that may be incurred as a result of the change of itinerary such as visas, vaccinations or non-refundable flights.

18. Our authority on tour

Travel insurance is compulsory for all Kurdistan Adventures travellers and should be taken out at the time of booking. At a minimum your travel insurance must provide cover against personal accident, death, medical expenses, emergency repatriation and personal liability, with a minimum coverage of US$250,000. We also strongly recommend it covers cancellation, curtailment and loss of luggage and personal effects. You must provide proof of your travel insurance on the first day of your tour or day trip; you will not be able to join the tour or day trip without it. We are able to provide this insurance through our partnership with a selected insurance company.

19. Your acceptance of risk

It is your own responsibility to acquaint yourself with all possible relevant travel information (including official government travel advice), the Safety and Security information on our web site and the nature of your itinerary. You acknowledge that your decision to travel is made in light of consideration of this information and you accept that you assume the personal risks inherent upon such travel.

20. Limitation of our liability

We use a network of companies, government agencies and individuals to assist in the running of our tours and day trips as agent for these third parties. We are not responsible for the acts and omissions of these third parties.

To the fullest extent permitted by law:

any liability for any loss, death, injury or damage which you may suffer (directly or indirectly) in connection with or arising out of your participation in a tour or day trip, or any breach of the Booking Conditions, is excluded;

you release us and our officers, employees, agents and representatives from any liability and expressly waive any claims you may have against us arising out of or in connection with your participation in a tour or day trip; and

any condition or warranty which would otherwise be implied by law into these Booking Conditions (Implied Warranty), is excluded.

To the extent an Implied Warranty cannot be excluded, our liability in respect of the Implied Warranty is limited to (in our absolute discretion): (i) the provision of a similar tour or day trip to an equivalent value; or
(ii) a refund of the total amount received by us from you in connection with your booking. Any claim by you is excluded to the extent that it is for indirect or consequential loss, loss of profits or economic loss, however it arises, or for indirect, special, punitive or exemplary damages.

21. Optional activities

Optional activities not included in the tour or day trip price do not form part of the tour, day trip or this contract. You accept that any assistance given by your tour leader or local representative in arranging optional activities does not render us liable for them.

22. Errors and omissions

Although we have made a concerted attempt to verify the accuracy of statements made in our tour and day trip documentation including brochure, website and full itinerary we cannot be held responsible for any error, omission or unintentional misrepresentation that may occur.

23. Claims & complaints

If you have a complaint about your tour or day trip, please inform your tour leader at the time in order that they can attempt to rectify the matter. If satisfaction is not reached through these means then any further complaint should be put in writing via email to us within 30 days of the end of the tour.

24. Severability

In the event that any term or condition contained in these Booking Conditions is unenforceable or void by operation of law or as being against public policy or for any other reason then such term or condition shall be deemed to be severed from this contract or amended accordingly only to such extent necessary to allow all remaining terms and conditions to survive and continue as binding.

25. Use of photos and marketing

You consent to us using images of you taken during the tour and day trip for advertising and promotional purposes in any medium we choose. You grant us a perpetual, royalty-free, worldwide, irrevocable license to use such images for publicity and promotional purposes.

26. Our privacy policy

Any personal information that we collect about you may be used for any purpose associated with the operation of a tour or day trip or to send you marketing material in relation to our events and special offers. The information may be disclosed to our agents, service providers or other suppliers to enable us to operate the tour or day trip. We will otherwise treat your details in accordance with our privacy policy (available for viewing on our web site).

27. Consumer protection

All money received as payment for your bookings is held in our business banking account. Your money remains there until your holiday is completed or the services comprising your holiday have been paid for by us.

28. Applicable laws

The laws of Kurdistan, Iraq govern these Booking Conditions and any disputes in connection with a tour or day trip or these Booking Conditions must be initiated in the courts of Kurdistan, Iraq.